Device for removing sealing closures



9 1959 1. NEWMAN 2,496,672 7':

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SEALING CLOSURES Filed April 16, 1.945 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Q I 27. 5 I

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INVENTOR c/qfz dor c/lwmazz ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1950 1. NEWMAN 2,496,672

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SEALING CLOSURES Filed April 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Feb. 7, 1959 DEVICE FOR REMOVING SEALINGCLOSURES Isidor Newman, New York, N. Y.

Application April 16, 1945, Serial No. 588.549

This invention relates to devices for removing sealing closures. It isparticularly directed to a tool for removing the cap from a filling holeof a can.

One object of this invention is to provide an improvement in the tooldisclosed in my Patent No. 2,060,888, issued November 17, 1936. The toolshown in said Patent No. 2,060,888 is provided with means for piercingthe cap and for pulling the cap upwardly from the rim edge to which thecap is sealed, without destroying said rim edge.

One difiiculty that has been found with my prior tool is that when thecap was pulled up and removed from the can, it was difficult to removethe cap from the tool. The cap had to be sheared or cut with nippersinto pieces before it could be removed from the tool. It is therefore anobject of this invention to provide a tool of the character describedprovided with means for cutting the cap into segmental pieces as it isbeing removed from the can, so that the pieces may easily be removed orwill drop out of the tool, thereby obviating the necessity for shearingor cutting the removed cap with nippers to remove it from the tool.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tool of the characterdescribed comprising a member adapted to be placed on the can over thecap, a shaft thereon carrying a piercing element adapted to be pushedthrough the cap to pierce the same, means to pull the pierced cap ofithe can, and means to cut the cap, as it is being pulled off the can.into two or more pieces which may easily be removed from the tool.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, ruggedand durable device of the character described, which shall be smooth andpositive in operation, which shall be easy to manipulate, and yetpractical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the tool embodyingthe invention in position for piercing a can cap;

11 Claims. (Cl. 7-44.25)

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the piercing head piercedthrough the cap;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper end of a can showing the capto "be removed;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the cap pulled ofi therim edge on the top of the can;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line t-6 of Fi 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l! of Fig. 2 and showingthe position of the piercing head and lugs on the tool in the positionbefore the head is drawn up, in dotted lines; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on an enlarged scale on line 8-8of Fig. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, H) designates a can having a topwall It and provided with a pair of opposite upstanding rim edgeportions 12, and with a pair of opposite upstanding rim edge portionsl3. The top wall 1! of the can is provided with a filling hole oropening [5 and has an annular upstanding rim [6 at said opening. On therim H5 is a cap I 1. The cap I1 is provided with a peripheral channelflange I8 gripping the upstanding rim It.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tool 20for removing the cap l1 while leaving the rim It in such condition thatthe can can be rescaled with a new cap. Tool 20 embodying the inventioncomprises a dome or inverted cup-shaped member 2i having a top wall 22and a cylindrical wall 23. Cylindrical wall 23 is formed with threeopenings 24 equiangularly spaced. At each opening 24 is a vertical edge25. Although any suitable number of openings may "be provided, threesuch openings are shown for the purpose of illustration. The edges 25are thus apart. At the lower end of wall 23 is an annular rim edgeportion 26 formed with a pair of radially projecting spaced lugs '2 and28. When the tool is placed on the top wall 11 of the can over .the capH, lug 21 will contact rim l2. After the cap is pierced, inthe mannerhereinafterexplained, the entire tool. is rotated through an angle ofsubstantially 60 so .thatilug :28 will contact rim 1:3.

The top wall .22 of member 2| is formed with a through opening an.Slidably extending through the opening 3!) is a shank .3! having a screwthreaded portion '32, of preferably steep pitched, multiple leadthreads. At :the lower end of the screw :threaded portion 32 is a smoothportion 33. Belowsaid portion .33 is .a reduced stem .34.

At the lower end of stem 34 is an arrow head shaped piercing element 35.Element 35 may be provided with a plurality of cutting fins 36, threesuch fins being shown for the purpose of illustration. There are as manyfins as there are openings 24 in member 2|. The fins or cutting knives3B converge to a point 38 at the bottom, and have fiat upper surfaces38a.

At the upper end of shank 3i is a reduced stem 39. The shank is formedwith a longitudinal key slot or groove lll. Wall 22 is formed with athrough opening 42 countersunk at its inner and outer ends as at 44 and45, respectively (see Fig.

8). Within the countersunk opening 4 2 is a collar or pin 46 projectinginto key slot 4!]. The pin 46 is formed with a screw threaded openingQT. Extending through opening 4.2 is a screw 5!) one end of which isscrewed into the threaded opening 41. The head of the screw is receivedin countersunk opening 45. Pin t6 thus serves to prevent rotation ofshank 3! relative to member 2|. Fixed to the lower end of portion 33 ofthe shank is a radial pin 53 adapted to contact the underside of wall 22to limit upwardly longitudinal movement of the shank relative to member2|. When pin 53 strikes wall 22, the piercing head or element 35 will bewholly within member 2|. Fixed to stem 39 at the upper end of shank 3|is a handle 55. The handle may be formed with a pair of radial arms 56.

Screwed onto the threaded portion 32 of the shank is a nut 60. The nut60 is formed with an internal screw threaded portion 6! receiving thethreads of the shank portion 32. The nut 69 is formed with a pluralityof radial extending handles B3.

The operation of the tool will now be expiained. The nut 68 is rotatedto the position shown in Fig. 1 where it is at the upper end of thescrew threaded portion 32 of the shank. The shank I is then pulledupwardly until pin 53 strikes wall 22. The tool is then placed on top ofthe can so as to surround or overlie the cap. The entire tool is rotatedso that lug 27 contacts rim I 2 of the can. Pressure is then exerted onthe handle 55 downwardly so that the piercing element 35 will pierce thecap H. The entire tool is then rotated about its axis until lug 28contacts rim l3. The fins 36 will then become misaligned with respect tothe openings cut through the cap.

Said fins will then lie in the dotted line position of Fig. '7 betweenthe openings which were cut in the II when the piercing element passestherethrough. The tool is then in the position shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing. The nut 68 is then rotated in a direction for causing the shank3! to move upwardly. The piercing element will then engage beneath thecap and pull the cap upwardly. The nut is rotated until pin 53 againstrikes wall 22. During this operation the cap is pulled off the rimedge !6.

Means is provided to cut the removed cap into several pieces while thecap is being removed so that the pieces may be easily withdrawn from thetool. To this end there is fixed to each of the edges 25 of thecylindrical wall 23, a cutting knife 10. The cutting knives 1B bisectthe angles between the fins 36. Said cutting knives may be attached tothe edges 25 by means of screws H or any other suitable means. Screws Hpass through openings in the blades of the knives l8 and screw intoappropriate threaded openings in edges 25 of the cylindrical wall. Eachknife NJ has a downwardly and inwardly extending cutting edge 12 at itslower end. Each knife or blade is furthermore formed with an innervertical edge 73 almost touching the stem 34. As the cap l? is pulledupwardly, it will be cut by the blades "it into a plurality of segmentswhich will either fall out or which may easily be shaken out of thetool. There is thus provided means for removing the cap and cutting itinto pieces at the same time.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A tool of the character described comprising an annular member havingan end wall formed with an opening, a shank movably mounted on said endwall and passing through said opening and disposed axially of saidmember, a piercing element at one end of said shank, and a plurality ofknives on said member projecting into said member, said piercing elementhaving a plurality of fins, and said knives projecting between saidfins.

2. A tool of the character described comprising an annular member havingan end wall formed with an opening, a shank movably mounted on said endwall and passing through said opening and disposed axially of saidmember, a piercing element at one end of said shank, a plurality ofknives on said member projecting into said member, said piercing elementhaving a plurality of fins, said knives projecting between said fins,and screw threaded means to move said shank relative to said member.

3. A tool of the character described comprising an annular member havingan end wall formed with an opening, a shank movably mounted on said endwall and passing through said opening and disposed axially of saidmember, a piercing element at one end of said shank, a plurality ofknives on said member projecting into said memher, said piercing elementhaving a plurality of fins, said knives projecting between said fins,screw threaded means to move said shank relative to said member, andmeans on said shank to limit movement thereof relative to said member.

4. A tool of the character described comprising a member having atubular wall, and an end wall, said end wall being formed with an axialopening, a shank slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said member, andpassing through the opening in said end wall, said shank having a screwthreaded portion, a nut on said screw threaded portion, a handle at oneend of said shank, and a piercing element at the other end of said shankand disposed within said member, said piercing element having aplurality of triangular fins extending upwardly and outwardly, said finshaving blunt horizontal upper edges and sharpened outer edges, incombination with a plurality of upright blades secured to said tubularmember, said blades extending radially inward into close proximity ofsaid shank and respectively between said fins, said blades havingoutwardly and upwardly inclined cutting edges, said nut being locatedbetween said handle and said member whereby said shank and its fins maybe forcibly mmerses elevated relative to "said member and its blades 5.A-.tool of the character described comprising 'aimemberahaving a tubularwal1, and an-"endwall, said endwall being formed with-an axialzopening,

a-tshank'slidably and nonrotatably mounted on "said member, and passingthrough the opening in rsaid end wall, said shank having a screwthreaded \portion, a nut onsaidzscrew ithrea'cl'ed ;portion,- a1.handleat one end of said shank, a piercing element at the other end of saidshank and disposed within said member, said piercing element having aplurality of triangular fins extending upwardly and outwardly, said finshaving blunt horizontal upper edges and sharpened outer edges, incombination with a plurality of upright blades secured to said tubularmember, said blades extending radially inward into close proximity ofsaid shank and respectively between said fins, said blades havingoutwardly and upwardly inclined cutting edges, said nut being locatedbetween said handle and said member whereby said shank and its fins maybe forcibly elevated relative to said member and its blades, a pin onsaid shank adapted to contact said end wall to limit movement of saidshank relative to said member in one direction, and a pair of spacedlugs on said tubular member extending outwardly therefrom at the openend thereof.

6. A tool of the character described comprising a member having anannular wall, and an end wall, said end wall being formed with an axialopening, a shank slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said member, andpassing through the opening in said end wall, said shank having a screwthreaded portion, a nut on said screw threaded portion, a handle at oneend of said shank, a piercing element at the other end of said shank anddisposed within said member, a pin on said shank adapted to contact saidend wall to limit movement of said shank relative to said member in onedirection, a pair of spaced lugs on said cylindrical member extendingoutwardly therefrom, and a plurality of knives on said cylindricalmember projecting radially inwardly therefrom, said knives havingdownwardly and inwardly inclined cutting edges, said piercing elementbeing formed with a plurality of radial fins, and said knives beingdisposed between said fins.

'7. A tool of the character described, said tool comprising a hollowannular member having an end well formed with an opening, a shankslidably mounted on said end wall and passing through said opening anddisposed axially of said memher, a combined piercing and cutting meanson one end of said shank and a handle on its other end, said cuttingmeans comprising radially extending triangular fins substantiallyequally spaced from each other, said fins having blunt horizontal upperportions and outwardly and upwardly extending upper edges, incombination with upright blades secured to the hollow annular member andextending radially inwardly therefrom into close proximity of the shankand respectively between the fins, said blades having outwardly anddownwardly inclined cutting edges, cooperating means on both said memberand said shank to prevent relative rotation thereof, means supported bythe shank and engaged by both said shank and said member whereby saidshank its piercing element and fins may be forcibly elevated relative tosaid hollow annular member and its blades, said handle having radialportions whereby said complete tool may be readily ro- :amemb'erhav's'a-idend wall being-formed with "an axial opening, "ashankslidablymounted on said'm'ember and tated when ee-sires emu-a the distance er a"I'Ii indr 2,1 3.

8. 41 totterin character described comprising mg atiibularwaH and an-endwall,

threaded portion, a nut-on said screw threaded portion, a handle on oneend of said-shank and a piercing element on the other end thereof anddisposed within said member, a pin on said shank within said tubularwall and in the path of said end wall to limit longitudinal movement ofsaid shank relative to said member in one direction, a pair of spacedlugs on said tubular wall extending outwardly therefrom at its open end,a plurality of knives on said tubular wall projecting radially inwardtherefrom into close proximity to said shank, said piercing elementbeing formed with a plurality of fins extending radially outwardtherefrom and receiving said knives respectively between said fins.

9. A tool of the character described comprising a hollow dome shapedmember, a shank slidably mounted to extend through said member, acombined cap piercing and cap removing element on the lower end of saidshank, a handle on the upper end of said shank, said element beingformed with a plurality of outwardly extending fins located about thecentral axis of said member and said shank, in combination with aplurality of knives mounted on said member and extending radially inwardand having their inner terminals located in a path respectively betweensaid fins, said handle comprising means to actuate the elementdownwardly through the cap and additional means on said shank toforcibly elevate said element and the removed cap in the path of saidknife.

10. A tool of the character described compris ing a hollow annularmember having an end wall formed with an opening, a shank slidably andnon-rotatably mounted on said end wall and passing through said openingand disposed axially of said member, a combined cap piercing and capremoving element on one end of said shank and disposed centrally withinsaid member, said element being formed with a plurality of radial finsextending outwardly therefrom in substantially equally spaced relation,in combination with a plurality of knives on said member projectingradially inwardly and terminating in close proximity to said shank, eachknife being located in a path between a pair of fins, said shank havinga screw threaded portion and a complemental nut thereon in the path ofsaid member whereby to forcibly elevate said shank and its element andpierced cap upwardly with the cap and in the path of said knives, saidshank having a handle on one of its ends opposite to the element wherebysaid shank and its element may be actuated downwardly.

11. A tool of the character described a hollow dome shaped memberadapted to be placed on the top of a can over a cap to be removed, saidmember having a tubular guide in its top central portion, a shankmovably mounted in said guide, a handle on the upper end of said shankand a combined cap piercing and cap removing means on its other end,said piercing means being formed with outwardly projecting radial finslocated centrally within said member, said shank having a :7 screwthreaded portionearrying a complemental nut thereon in the path of saidmember, in combination with means fixed on said member and arranged inthe path between the fins for severing the removed cap into a pluralityof pieces as said 5 cap is being elevated by said screw threaded portionand its nut.

ISIDOR NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Russell Feb. 6, 1900 Norton Mar.29, 1904 Ferguson July 5, 1910 Parsley Sept. 20, 1910 Dodson Dec. 15,1914 Kinsey May 8, 1917 Newman Nov. 17, 1936

